Aupindi must pay up or face jail

Aupindi must pay up or face jail Former Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) boss Tobie Aupindi and his co-accused, Antonio di Savino, have been sentenced to fines of N$50 000, or 30 months' imprisonment, by the Windhoek Magistrate's Court yesterday.

They were found guilty of providing false information to an authorised officer of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Judgment in the drawn-out fraud case was handed down by Windhoek magistrate Helena Shilemba yesterday.

The case had been postponed several times for judgment.

Aupindi and Di Savino denied guilt when their trial started before Shilemba in February 2012.

In February 2012, Aupindi and Di Savino went on trial on a charge of corruptly providing false information to an officer of the ACC and an alternative charge of attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice. These charges fall under the ACC Act.

The allegations that resulted in the two businessmen ending up in court stem from a swimming pool that was built at Aupindi's residence at 25 Kestrel Street, Hochland Park, in 2006.





It was alleged that Di Savino had paid N$50 000 for the swimming pool in exchange for tenders for the refurbishment of NWR resorts in several parts of the country.





It was claimed that at the time the pool was installed, Di Savino was doing business with NWR, while Aupindi was the head of the state-owned company.

The State alleged that Aupindi had provided false information to the ACC's investigator, stating that he had paid for the pool himself.





During the trial, a witness who had installed the pool at Aupindi's residence told the court that Aupindi had paid for the installation in cash.

The prosecution alleged that Aupindi and Di Savino had lied to an ACC investigator in March and April 2010 by telling him that Aupindi had paid N$50 000 for the pool, while they knew Di Savino had actually paid for the pool.



Magistrate Shilemba found that the State had proven its case beyond any reasonable doubt.

ELLANIE SMIT